The Brass Ring (38 page)

Killing her was probably an accident; he panicked and hid her body. When he got away with it, his confidence grew. He’s still seeking his trophy wife but he thinks it’s the same girl. Okay, now who wants to hear the bottom line?" she teased as the others laughed. "I know it’s a little dry but here it is. The killer is the same person in all the crimes. He’s a rich spoiled brat with a borderline personality disorder. He has a violent nature. He’s killing his first victim over and over again. In his mind they’re all Janie. When he was confronted with two Janie’s, he chose one to be her and simply forgot about the other one. He also blames Janie. Nothing is ever his fault. His position in life, his intelligence, and his youthful arrogance have convinced him that he’s invincible. Questions?"

"Does he know what he’s doing is wrong?" Rumford the federal prosecutor asked.

"Not when the attacks begin," she responded firmly as the rest of room released a collective groan. "Sorry folks; this one, in my opinion, is legally nuts. It’s only during the attacks that he realizes what he’s done. Afterward he may not even remember doing it. His subconscious knows and it kicks in his ability to evade the authorities."

"How do we catch him?" Max inquired thoughtfully.

"Unless you catch him in the act or gather enough evidence, which will be difficult since most of the crimes are not pure, you’d have to set a trap," she said as CC’s body tensed. "But with this guy it would take a lot of time. He has to meet the girl and be rejected by her and then his delusions need to grow until he’s forced to act out."

Several eyes turned to CC. "Not going to happen, guys," she asserted harshly.

"We could use a policewoman," Mallory suggested.

"It won’t work," Dr. Richards cut him off. "If he’s found his new Janie then he knows everything about her, he won’t be fooled by someone who looks like her. I also agree with Detective Callaway. Putting a civilian in this guy’s path is far too dangerous. I’m assuming that you suspect who the intended victim will be."

"Yes, we do," CC confirmed. "That’s if we’re focusing on the right guy. Speaking of which, Dr. Carter, would you like to fill us in on your report?"

"My pleasure," Dr. Carter agreed. He was an older man with a rapidly retreating hairline and bifocal glasses. "Basically Simon Fisher fits Dr. Richards’ profile perfectly. After reviewing the files and meeting with Dr. Fisher, I’ve come to the conclusion that I could write a textbook on this guy. He has a juvenile record for arson, animal mutilation, and assault. His high school sweetheart, Janie Jensen, disappeared after she dumped Simon for another girl. Everywhere he travels, girls who look a lot like Janie and either have or are believed to have sexual interest in women, turn up dead. Now that’s what I got from the files. After speaking with the arrogant little jerk, this is what I’ve decided. He’s rich, arrogant, and very smart. When in the company of women or men his own age, he behaves like the king of the universe. But he responds to myself and Max. He seems to want to prove himself to older men. We probably remind him of Daddy." Max snorted at the comment. "He hates gay women. He’s convinced himself that they just need the right man. Sadly it’s a view shared by far too many people, but with Simon it’s very important for him to believe this. CC, you did a really smart thing when you had Max tell him to go home the other day because he had nothing important to offer him. His pride was hurt and he’s starting to view Max as a father figure. He stayed because he needed to prove himself to Max. Being dismissed by Daddy just can’t happen. But I bet it has more than once. The interesting thing about this yahoo is that he functions really well with day-to-day life. When Max told him to file a report against CC, he should have jumped at the chance. He didn’t because somewhere in his mind he knew that if he did he would have to face Jamie telling him that she wasn’t interested in him and wanted him to go away. This guy’s delusions run deep and so do his survival instincts. My suggestion is to have Max conduct the interview and have CC sit in. He trusts one and despises the other. It might be enough to get him a little off kilter. But I can’t guarantee it will work. That’s it."

"Thank you both," CC said as she mentally processed the information. "Marissa? What did the boys in the lab get?"

"We have blood, tissue, and fibers, most of which came from Ellen’s apartment and the bodies," Marissa explained shyly, avoiding eye contact with CC. "We just need to match it to something. There are some carpet fibers that Stan found at the Murdock crime scene which he did trace to a carpet manufactured exclusively for BMW."

"That is good," Max said.

"Not really," CC grumbled. "She was a nurse. Chances are she knew one or two folks who drive Beamers." They all seemed to ponder the situation as CC wondered just how long Simon would sit quietly in the room they’d stuck him in.

"Now it’s time for the lawyers," she began with a smirk. "Gentlemen, personally I don’t care who gets jurisdiction. But I feel that, based on the evidence, you’ll never convict him on any crimes other than the ones that have happened here in the Commonwealth. All I want to know before our prime suspects walks out of here, because he’s free to go and is probably ready to do just that by now, can you get us a warrant so we can get to his car before he does? Because if he’s as smart as everyone keeps telling me he is, any evidence is going to go bye bye real soon if it hasn’t already."

"It is on its way," ADA Griffin confirmed with a smile. "I woke up Judge Muller."

The police officers smiled. "I love Judge Muller. " The Captain smirked. "A policeman’s best friend."

"Could it get thrown out later?" Rumford questioned fearfully.

"Let’s hope not," CC grumbled, knowing that the dear old judge was very partial to giving warrants to the police. But a smart lawyer could maneuver around that. Her one glimmer of hope was Simon’s arrogance. His ego would never allow his attorney to plead insanity if he went to trial.

"Fine. I’ll have a team waiting to execute the warrant," the Captain barked. "Now you and Max go start your interview before Fisher walks out of here. Marissa, head down to the lab and wait. I’m assuming that the rest of you would like to watch?" The rest of the group nodded eagerly.

"Come on, Max. Let’s go play good Dad cop and mean old lesbian cop." CC nudged her partner as they stood.

As they entered the interview room and found Simon idly twiddling his thumbs with a cocky smirk on his face, CC had to fight the urge to beat the man senseless. Simon smiled at Max and sneered at CC with a look of defiance.
‘So you want to play? Fine!’
CC thought as she flashed the cocky little bugger a defiant sneer of her own. Max sat next to Simon while CC took a seat directly across from him. She flashed an amused look at him, silently telling him that she was going to win.

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

S
IMON STARED AT them blankly, not seeming to care that he was sitting in a police station with two cops staring at him. "So, Simon, what happened tonight?" Max proceeded in a fatherly tone. He almost sounded disappointed in Simon.

"Nothing," Simon protested with a whine.

"Something must have happened," Max scolded him. "Now just tell me; what did you do?"

"It wasn’t me," Simon whined defensively. "She did this," he flared as he pointed towards CC.

CC smiled coldly at the flustered young man, thankful that the entire interview was being taped, videotaped, and witnessed by two prosecutors, her captain, and two of the top criminal psychologists in the area. She was also thankful that Simon was far too egotistical to request a lawyer.

"Simon?" Max continued in the same scolding manner. "You need to tell me the truth, son."
‘Nice touch, partner,’
CC noted with pride.

"I didn’t do anything," Simon insisted, his tone calming down. CC became nervous, as Simon seemed to be readily adjusting to the situation. "I just went to visit my girlfriend when this . . .
woman
. . ." he hissed, and CC was quite aware that wasn’t the term he wanted to use, ". . .decided to stick her nose in our business."

"Simon, you need to tell me the truth or else I can’t help you," Max continued. Simon seemed to relax even more. "Janie told me that she doesn’t want to see you."

CC and Max flinched as Simon jumped out of his chair and threw it against the wall. "That’s a lie," he shouted angrily. CC was certain that she could hear a collective gasp emanate from the observation room. She looked completely calm as she watched his face begin to twitch and his dark eyes dart from her to Max. "I . . . uhm . . ." Simon floundered as she and Max shared a worried glance.

He was breathing heavily and clenching his fists tightly. "Simon, pick up your chair and sit down," Max instructed him firmly. Simon nodded his head and followed Max’s instructions. CC’s jaw clenched as she watched his breathing slow down.
‘We lost him,’
she noted bitterly as she watched him calm down and lean back with a cocky smirk. He looked at both of them carefully. "Now, Simon, tell me what you were doing at the hospital," Max pushed.

"Why?" Simon responded smugly. "I don’t want to talk to you anymore. If you have anymore questions for me, I want a lawyer."

‘Game over.’
CC sighed as she rubbed her temple. "That won’t be necessary," she grunted. "We don’t need this idiot, Max. You told me he could be helpful. I was right; he’s worthless," CC offered in a dismissive manner as Simon’s eyes darkened in anger.
‘Come on, you arrogant little bastard - take the bait!’
her mind screamed as she glared at him.

"Fine." Simon smirked as he stood. "I’m leaving."

CC felt completely helpless as he walked out the door confidently. "We blew it," she groaned.

"No, you didn’t," Dr. Carter reassured her as he and the others entered the room. "The cops in San Diego never got a rise out of him. He really sees Max as a father figure. But he’s smart."

"Yeah, you keep saying that," CC spat out. "Now he’s also pissed off and he’s going after his Janie."

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

J
AMIE YAWNED AS she stepped out of her car. She noted the ever-present car that had been following her since the hospital. She started to head towards CC’s townhouse and stopped in her tracks. Remembering that she was supposed to enter through the back door, she turned towards her own house, noting the replaced front window. She smiled as she pondered whether or not Stevie had thanked the contractor.

It felt strange being in her own home after spending so much time with CC. She looked at the blinking answering machine then decided to check her messages and go through her mail before heading over to CC’s place. "I can’t wait for this to be over so we can start living our lives again." She sighed as she listened to messages from her sister, her father, and Becky. "Sorry, guys. Maybe when I stop looking over my shoulder, I’ll be better at returning phone calls," she whispered, knowing that she was afraid of talking to anyone close to her, worried that she would cause more needless worry.

She shrugged off her leather jacket and headed up the stairs to gather clothing for the morning. She looked around and decided that once things were back to normal she was finally going to unpack and set up her new home. She felt slightly hopeful when she saw the police vans pull up and the officers start to ransack what she later would discover was Simon’s car. "Please let this finally put an end to all of this," she prayed as she sorted through her clothing. She grimaced when she realized that her laundry was more than a little far behind.

She looked at her watch and out the window into the darkness. "There is no way in hell I’m staying here in the middle of the night just to do my laundry. I’ve seen enough bad movies to know that is just how those screaming, scantily dressed, high heel wearing bimbos buy it. I’ll do it in the morning while the FBI is watching me," Jamie reasoned as she headed back downstairs.

The telephone rang just as she was heading towards the back door. She paused for a moment, listening to see if it was important. The silence after the beep made her edgy. "Janie," came the pleading whimper.

"Oh shit." A chill ran down Jamie’s spine. "Time to go," she blurted out as she threw open the back door and raced out onto the deck. She reached into her pocket and fished the key to CC’s home out of her pocket, slipping it between her knuckles so she could use it to defend herself if need be.

An arm reached around her as a gloved hand covered her mouth. "You should have answered the phone," a voice hissed in her ear.

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

C
C WAS BACK in the conference room listening to the reports. "They got the tire iron," the Captain exclaimed as he burst into the room. "Plus a coat from his apartment and samples from the carpet in his car. Everything is on its way to the lab."

Everyone seemed to relax and smile from the good news. The only one who didn’t breath a sigh of relief was CC. "Where is he?" she demanded.

"He’s being followed," the Captain reassured her. "It’s too soon to make an arrest. We need the labs back first."

"Where is he?" CC repeated with a hiss. "Did he show up at his car or apartment?"

"No," Mallory said. "But he was on foot."

"He didn’t take a cab?" CC choked out.

"No," Mallory responded in confusion. "He hopped on the green line."

"Not the red line which has a station right across the street," CC flared. "But the green line, four blocks over, which doesn’t go anywhere near his home or the hospital. It also goes underground just enough times for whoever is following him to loose radio contact. The same train line that has a stop a few blocks from Dr. Jameson home? That green line, you stupid son of a . . ."

"Dr. Jameson is safe in her home," Mallory protested, as he turned paled. "My agent saw her enter and the lights go out. My agent is still watching."